Coiled wire package



March 3%, 1965 o. J. BRATZ 3,]l75fi79 COILED WIRE PACKAGE Filed June 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Or'i'o J. B m 12 BY m, zzw mzw f/ ATTORNE S 1965 o. J. BRATZ COILED WIRE PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1962 3,175,679 COILED WIRE PACKAGE Dtto Jerome Bratz, Adrian, Mich, assignor to American Chain 8: Cable Companyginn, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 22, 1962, Ser. No. 205,824 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-52) This invention relates to packages of coiled wire and, more particularly, to a novel coiled wire package from which the wire may be readily dispensed without rotating the package and yet without imparting a twist to the dispensed wire.

There are many applications of coiled wire packages where it is undesirable or even impossible to rotate them axially and dispense their wire perpendicularly in the conventional manner. For example, if wire is to be withdrawn very suddenly at extremely high velocity, it is quite impractical to rotate the package and dispense the wire perpendicularly therefrom in the usual manner because of the great stresses imparted to the wire and to the bearings in which the package is mounted. This particular problem arises often in the aviation field where braking parachutes or targets are released rapidly from behind a moving aircraft. Since the tow line in such instances is payed out at speed of several hundred feet per second, it is virtually impossible to dispense it from an ordinary rotatable package. Another application where the usual rotating spool or package creates complications is in wire stranding devices where a number of wires are dispensed from respective packages on a rotating frame substantially toward the axis of rotation of the frame. To mount each package rotatably and transverse to the frame axis requires a rather involved planetary mechanism. There are, of course, many other instances where it would be of great benefit to dispense wire without rotating the package and the new article described and claimed herein meets these needs in virtually every case.

The package of coiled wire provided by this invention comprises an inner core, a plurality of layers of helically wrapped wire on the core, and respective circumferential containing means applied about and securing each wire layer. The containing means are adapted to tear away when the wire is pulled forcibly. from the package. When the wire is withdrawn from the end of the package generally in the direction of its axis, it is preferred that it be back-twisted once for each helical turn thereof opposite to the twist developed as the wire is thus dispensed.

Each of the above-mentioned circumferential containing means may comprise a pair of circumferential bands applied about the associated wire layer at opposite ends thereof, or it may comprise a band applied about the associated wire layer intermediate the ends thereof, or both. In one embodiment of the new package, a pair of end flanges are included at the opposite ends of the coiled wire fixed with respect to one another and disposed substantially perpendicular to the package axis. One of these flangeshas a central aperture coaxial with and of substantially equal diameter as the inner core so that the wire may be pulled forcibly off the package from the inner to the outer layers thereof through this aperture substantially in the direction of the package axis.

It is quite simple and uninvolved to dispense the wire without rotating the new package and without kinking and twisting the wire. As each loop is dispensed off the package, the back-twist in the wire compensates for the further twist caused by such end-dispensing and the wire is kept free of torsional stresses. The circumferential bands at the center or ends of each layer of wire, or both, yield easily as the turns of the wire are pulled all? away, but retard such withdrawal just enough so that more than one turn is not pulled out at a time. Also, the provision of the end flanges, and particularly the apertured flange at that end of the package from which the wire is withdrawn, insures that the wire is guided toward the center of the package to further prevent more than one turn of wire from being pulled off at a time.

The invention particularly contemplates this new package in combination with wire stranding apparatus wherein a plurality of wires are dispensed from respective packages on a rotating frame substantially toward the axis of rotation of said frame. The core of each of the new packages may be supported on the frame substantially parallel to the axis of rotation thereof and may be rigidly affixed since each wire, though wrapped helically, can be dispensed from one end thereof. This avoids any complex rotatable mounting for the packages on the planetary mechanism and greatly simplifies the apparatus.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view representing typical means for making a package according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partly broken away of the new wire package;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevation representing a wire stranding apparatus in combination with the new packages;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section partly broken away of another embodiment of the new package; and

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of a third embodiment of the package.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a collapsible drum 1% made up of a plurality of segments or staves is mounted rigidly about a spindle 11. The spindle 11 can be rotated by a drive gear 12 which also rotates a pinion 13 aiiixed to the opposite end of the spindle. Rotary motion is transmitted from the pinion 13 to a pinion 14 by means of a silent chain 15. In turn, the pinion 14 transmits its rotary motion to a gear transmission shown schematically at 16. A shaft 17 providing the output of the transmission 16 rotates in a direction opposite to that of the input pinion 14.

By means of beveled gears 18, the shaft 17 turns a yoke 19 mounted rotatably at its opposite ends in bearings 20 and 21. Within the yoke is mounted a transverse shaft 22 intersecting the axis of rotation of the yoke. The shaft 22 supports a freely rotatable reel 23 of the conventional type about which an extended length of wire 24 is helically wrapped in a number of layers. The reel 23 is mounted for easy removal and its speed of rotation can be governed somewhat by a conventional reel brake band 25 engaging one of its flanges. I

The wire 24 dispensed from the reel 23 is directed through a suitable guide tube 26 extending axially through the bearing 21 at the forward end of the rotatable yoke 19. From the tube 26, the wire 24 is directed through a transversely movable guide 27 mounted in suitable ways 28 which are arranged perpendicular to the axis of the yoke 19 and parallel to the axis of the spindle 11 supporting the drum 10. By any suitable means, the guide 27 is adapted to index back and forth on its ways within controlled limits in order to feed the wire 24 in side-by-side turns around a central longitudinal portion of the drum 10.

To form the new package, a sheet of heavy paper (perhaps about .040 inch thick) is wrapped tightly around the drum 10 to form a core 30 and its abutting edges are joined by several sections of paper tape 31. The forward end of the wire 24 is withdrawn from the reel 23, directed through the tube 26, threaded through the guide 27, and then pushed through the paper core 30 at a point 32 overlying a hole in the drum 10. Preferably, the puncture thus made in the paper core 39' is at the longitudinal seam thereof a certain distance (perhaps about one inch) from the near end of the core. The drum is then rotated by the drive gear 12 in the direction shown by the arrow. This causes the wire 24 to be pulled from the reel 23 and laid in helical turns advancing toward the other end of the core in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the starting point 32. The sliding guide 27, of course, insures the proper side-by-side disposition of these helical convolutions about the core.

At the same time, the drive gear 12 rotates the pinion 13 which in turn rotates the pinion 14. This actuates the transmission 16 and turns the beveled gear 18 so that the yoke 19 supporting the reel 23 is revolved in a clockwise direction as viewed from the drum 10. The gear ratio within the transmission 16 is such that the yoke 19 rotates once each time a full convolution of the wire 24 is applied about the core 30. As additional layers are built up about the core, the length of the helical convolutions in each increases and thus the rotation of the yoke 19 will lag somewhat behind the ideal rate; this slight discrepancy can ordinarily be ignored but, if desired, the transmission 16 may include conventional automatically variable speed controlling means to compensate for it.

As a result of rotating the yoke 19, a back-twist is introduced into the wire 24 as it is wrapped about the core 30. This back-twist is to the extent of one full turn for each helical convolution of the wire. The direction of the back-twist (as viewed from the forward end of the wire 24 looking rearwardly toward the reel 23) should be opposite to the direction of the helical wrapping about the core 30 (as viewed from the starting point 32). Thus, when the wire 24 is pulled in loops otf either end of the core 30 the back-twist compensates for the helical twist and they cancel one another out.

Returning now to the helical wrapping of wire about the core 30, reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3 in addition to FIG. 1. As soon as the first layer 33 (FIG. 3) of the wire 24 approaches the end of the core 30 opposite that starting point 32, the apparatus is stopped fully. Thereupon, a pair of circumferential bands of paper tape 34 are applied about the ends of the first layer 33 such that they overlap on the protruding ends of the core 30. Then the apparatus is started once more and a second layer of the wire is wrapped in the same manner about the first. As soon as the second layer is completed, the apparatus is again stopped and two more paper tapes are wrapped around the ends of the newly applied layer such that they overlap the protruding ends of the core and lie against the first pair of tapes. This process is repeated with the tapes being applied at the completion of each layer until the desired number of layers is wrapped. Finally, the outermost paper tapes 35 and 36 (FIG. 2) are applied in the same manner, the drum 10 is collapsed, and the package is removed. Depending on the use to which the package is to be put, end lengths 38 and 39 of the wire may extend from the package with end fittings or loops at their extremeties.

In use, the wire 24 may be fed from either its starting end 38 from the inside of the core 30 or from its other end 39 from the outside of the core 30, though in practically all instances the latter is preferred. When used as a tow wire package in aircraft, the target or the like is attached to the end portion 39 of the wire 24 and the core 30 and opposite end portion 33 of the wire are suitably anchored. Thereupon, the target may be ejected from the rear of the moving aircraft, and at a rate of hundreds of feet per second the wire 24 is pulled off the package. It is dispensed at these great speeds in loops from the end thereof without kinking or twisting because of the back-twist described earlier. Each time alayer of the wire is stripped away to its end, the circumferential paper tape at that point tears immediately to allow the feed to continue virtually without interruption. Under these severe conditions, the core 36 also yields easily and is pulled apart when the wire 24 goes taut. Hence, this inexpensive package achieves notable success in a very demanding dispensing operation, in great measure because of the simplicity of its design.

Turning now to FIG. 4, these features are incorporated into a wire-stranding device which comprises essentially a frame t1 rotatably mounted about a shaft 42 and supporting a plurality of packages of wire 43 made as described previously or as described hereinafter. Respective wires 44 from the various packages 43 are dispensed therefrom in a converging manner forwardly toward the axis of the shaft 42. They enter a stranding head 45 which is coaxial with the shaft 42. Upon rotation of the frame 41, the revolving packages 43 dispense their wire into the stranding head 4:; to form therein a helically twisted cable, wire rope, electrical conductor, or like article as in a manner well known in this art. There may be a central untwisted core in this article, there may be several radial layers of wires 44 applied thereabout, and any other variations may be introduced in accordance with conventional practice.

The cores of the packages 43 may be rigidly affixed to the rotatable frame ll and the respective wires 44 may be pulled off in loops from the outer end thereof. Again, because of the back-twist introduced in the wires, they have no resultant twist upon reaching the stranding head 45. Also, the paper tapes securing opposite end of each layer again tear away easily one after the other. Moreover, the packages may be disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the rotatable frame 41 (and this, of course, includes mounting the packages at a slight radial tilt so that their wires pull off more easily), thereby avoiding the complicated transverse rotatable mountings previously requined for conventional spools used in such stranding apparatus.

Turning now to the embodiment of the new package shown in FIG. 5, a helically wrapped multi-layered coil 53 of back-twisted wire is formed by the FIG. 1 method much like the package shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, there is built up at the opposite ends of the FIG. 5 package a number of layers of paper tape 51 and 52 each overlying an end portion of one layer of the coil and of an inner paper core 53. In the FIG. 5, embodiment, however, each layer of wire is also circumferentially contained by a separate central band of paper tape 54. Each of the tapes 54 is applied to its respective layer of wire while the apparatus of FIG. 1 is halted after a given layer of wire has been laid, in the same manner in which the tapes 35 and 35 are applied in the preceding embodiment. When the package is especially elongated, the central tapes 54 may be used in conjunction with the end tapes 51 and 52, though if the package is relatively short and the end portions of the wire can stay in place by themselves only the central tapes 54 are required. In operation, the effect of the central tapes 54 is much like that of the end tapes 51 and 52 in that each tape 54 tears away as the turns of wire around it are pulled from the package. The yieldable resistance thereby imposed against the withdrawal of the wire prevents the turns of wire from the pulling away in bunches from the center region of the package.

In FIG. 6, an embodiment of the new package is shown which is designed especially for heavier coils of larger wire. It comprises an innerpaper core 56, and a plural ity of layers of helically wrapped side-by-side turns of back-twisted wire 57 on the core. A pair of annular end flanges 58 and 59 are included in the package at the opposite ends of the coiled wire. These flanges are disposed substantially perpendicular to the package axis and are fixed with respect to one another by means of a cylindrical housing 69 surrounding the coiled wire throughout the length of the package. In eflect, end flanges 58 and 59 and housing 60 together define a canister in which the coiled wire 57 is located. Alternatively, the flanges can be held together by exterior tie rods extending therebetween along the outside of the coil. The layers of the coiled wire 57 may have either or both of end or central containing means as shown in FIGS. 2-3 or 5, though for purposes of illustration the coil shown in FIG. 6 is provided only with central circumferential paper tapes 61 similar to the tapes 54 discussed with reference to FIG. 5.

The flange 58, which is at the end of the package from which the wire is withdrawn defines a central aperture 62 coaxial with and of substantially equal diameter as the inner core 56. The periphery of this aperture may be flared outwardly as shown to present a faired sliding surface to the discharging wire. A prime advantage of this apertured end flange 58 is that it forces each turn of wire to proceed from the package substantially closer to the package axis. Thus, the successive Wire turns are pulled out at least to some extent inwardly toward the axis and are not interfered by any adjacent wire turns during such discharge, with the result that each successive wire turn comes free of the package without bringing with it a bunch or group of other turns. This is particularly important when the outermost layers of the coil are being discharged because at that time the remaining turns tend to loosen and might not pull away in the desired succession it it were not for the fact that the wire is guided toward the package axis by the apertured end flange 58. The other end flange 59 may also have an aperture as shown for purposes of mounting the package, though it has no particular role in the discharge of the wire.

It will be apparent that the end tapes shown in FIG. 2, the central tapes shown in FIG. 5, and the end flanges shown in FIG. 6, are complementary and may be used together in various combinations. The best combination of these features will be evident in a given instance by such variables as the size of the package and of the wire it contains, the rate of delivery, and so on.

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior application Serial No. 125,716, filed July 21, 1961, now abandoned.

I claim:

A hollow package of coiled wire adapted to be paid out from its interior off one end thereof without rotation of the package comprising a rupturable inner core, a plurality of layers of helically wrapped wire about said core, said wire having a back-twist of one turn per helical convolution about the core so that when paid out the wire is free of twist, respective rupturable circumferential paper bands applied about and securing the opposite ends and middle of each wire layer, a pair of end flanges at the opposite ends of the coiled wire disposed substantially perpendicular to the package axis, a cylindrical housing extending from one flange to the other about the coiled wire, and a circumferentially complete circular wire-guiding aperture formed in one of said flanges coaxial with and of substantially equal diameter as the core for directing each successive convolution of wire away from its neighoboring convolutions as the wire is paid out.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 9,605 Palmer Mar. 15, 1881 469,941 Hendry Mar. 1, 1892 737,181 Weaver Aug. 25, 1903 1,539,825 Bodwell June 2, 1925 1,832,395 Hoos Nov. 17, 1931 1,836,593 Harvey Dec. 15, 1931 1,994,684 Bugg Mar. 19, 1935 2,262,360 Gottlieb Nov. 11, 1941 2,639,097 Scott May 19, 1953 2,732,817 Robinson Jan. 31, 1956 2,973,911 Rayburn Mar. 7, 1961 3,028,117 Shepley Apr. 3, 1962 3,089,588 Correll May 14, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,327 Australia Feb. 20, 1931 336,225 France Jan. 8, 1904 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner, AR RUMM NP, 

